142nd birthday of the Father of the Nation

One of the iconic figures in India’s struggle for independence has been that of Mahatma Gandhi. A believer of truth and non-violence, Gandhi had been successful in uprooting the British Raj from India with his peaceful satyagrahs. A man of simple living and high thinking, Gandhi has spent all his life working for one cause or the other. Such was his contribution towards spreading non-violence that in 2007, United Nations declared his birthday, 2nd October, as the International Day of Non-Violence.

Today, on his 142nd birthday, the nation pays tribute to the hero of India’s freedom struggle. Floral tributes were offered at Gandhi’s memorial at Raj Ghat by prominent political leaders, Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi along with some others. Everyone present at Raj Ghat observed a minute’s silence to pay their homage.

Gandhi and his ideology has influenced and inspired many lives and it continues to do so even today. A number of movies have been made on his life, methods and philosophy. Fondly called as ‘Bapu’ and officially honored as Father of the Nation, Gandhi resides in the heart of those who believe that truth, equality and non-violence are the true means of high living.